1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of hospital operating equipment, specifically, the overhead lighting used in hospital operating rooms. This invention is a novel form of handle for maneuvering an overhead lamp in the operating room.
2. Background
During surgery, it is necessary to provide overhead illumination above the operating table. Such illumination is provided by a lamp which is mounted above the operating table so that it can be manipulated to the height and/or position desired. To maneuver the light to the proper position, there is commonly provided a handle or grip with which the surgeon, nurses, or others on the operating team can move the lamp to the desired position. The lamp is generally mounted as to be moveable to any needed position, to permit vertical and lateral adjustment and to retain the lamp in any desired position until it is moved again to another position.
In some cases, the handle is a reusable metal part of the lamp. However, such a metal part requires sterilization of the handle before each operation. Disposable plastic handles are also in use in which a threaded upper portion can be screwed into a socket on the lamp structure or into an adapter which is secured to the lamp structure. Below the threaded portion is a handle which is gripped by hand. The handle is formed with a disc just beneath the threaded upper end which serves as a guard to prevent the sterile, gloved hand of the person manipulating the lamp from coming into contact with non-sterile parts of the lamp.
The disposable plastic handle is often preferred over a metal reusable handle because it can be packaged in a sterile container, removed from the sterile package at the time of use, and then discarded after the operation. Consequently, the hospital does not have to sterilize the handle.
The problems involved in previously available handles include bulkiness that causes storage problems and shields that either tear, crack, or break off during installation, assembly or use. The invention involved in this application addresses these problems by having a flexible shield that allows compact packaging and sterilization and which, because of its flexibility, resists cracking, tearing, and breaking.
The sterile handle and shield of this invention are designed to be detached from the operating room light upon completion of the operation and disposed of. The shield which attaches to the upper end of the plastic handle is designed to permit the shield to be folded such that it can be folded down in its assembled position in packaging and reduce the amount of space required for storing the invention. The assembled handle and shield are designed to be packaged together with two assembled handle and shield units in one package, which reduces storage space required for the invention and creates a convenient package that is ready to use in the operating room.
The shield is flexible and is designed to rebound back into its functional shape after being removed from the package. The flexibility and ability of the shield to rebound to its functional shape are significantly distinguishing factors of the invention from prior surgical lamp handles. The shield""s flexibility allows it to be flexed without cracking, breaking, or losing its shape.
The shape of the shield may be conical, flat, or tapered such that the inside edges nearest the aperture are thinner than the outside edges. All of these characteristics give the handle and shield unit unique flexibility and functional significance.